By Ashley McLeod, Staff Writer
Apr 29, 2014, 13:31
PRINCE GEORGE — Youth softball and baseball players from Prince George recently competed in a Major League Baseball competition to determine who could pitch, hit, and run the best.
The Prince George Department of Parks and Recreation held the Pitch Hit and Run competition on April 16 at the fields behind J.E.J. Moore Middle School. Twenty young players came out to compete in the competition which determined who was the best at each category.
“What they do is hit a ball off of a tee for distance, run bases for time, and throw at an MLB strike zone target,” said Rob Eley, the assistant athletic director for Prince George Parks and Recreation.
Each player is scored depending on the results of the three rounds. The top scoring players were awarded according to age group as well as the top performer in each of the three events.
The top performers will continue to the sectionals level of the competition, where they will compete with other local winners for a spot at the regional level.
The Prince George Parks and Recreation decided to hold this local competition due to the increasing popularity of another event, the National Football League’s Punt, Pass and Kick event.
“That one was increasingly well attended so we figured this would be good too,” said Keith Rotzoll, parks and recreation director.
Following the regional level, top competitors will travel to the 30 MLB Clubs across the country in order to compete for a spot in the national competition, which will be held during the MLB All-Star Week, at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn.
